How to Build a Community

In the Central District of Seattle (my old neighborhood), there is a piece of property set aside as small, wooded, urban park called "Nora's Wood". Nora Wood, MD bought the land and created the park before she died in the early 1990's. Neighborhood volunteers now maintain the property.

On the corner where the park begins, neighbors erected a sign that means a lot to me, for a number of reasons. A while back I wrote down what is written on the sign to share with an online community I managed.

I ran across it recently and thought it would be a good thing to post here. I hope you'll think about (and share) these things in terms of your own community and the community we share online.

How to Build a Community:

Turn off the TV

Know your neighbor

Look up when you are walking

Greet people

Sit on the stoop

Plant flowers

Use your library

Play together

Buy from local merchants

Share what you have

Help a lost dog

Take children to the park

Garden together

Support neighborhood schools

Fix it even if you didn't break it

Have block parties

Honor your elders

Pick up litter

Read stories aloud

Dance in the street

Talk to the mail carrier

Listen to the birds

Put up a swing

Help carry something heavy

Barter for goods

Start a tradition

Ask a question

Hire young people for odd jobs

Have a pot-luck

Bake extra and share

Ask for help when you need it

Open your shades

Sing together

Share your skills

Take back the night

Turn up the music

Turn down the music

Listen before you react to anger

Seek to understand

Listen from new and uncomfortable angles

Know that no one is silent, but many are not heard

-Author unknown

I've heard through the grapevine that this originated from a similar sign somewhere in California and was copied for the sign in Seattle. If anyone known the origin, I'd love to know about it...